NYC to Host Free Fan Events Across All Five Boroughs

New York City will host free World Cup fan events in each of its five boroughs, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday, offering an affordable alternative for soccer fans who cannot afford match tickets at nearby MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The events will feature watch parties and other festivities. Locations include Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, a shopping center adjacent to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and a minor league baseball stadium in Staten Island.

A separate fan event at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, where the New York Red Bulls play will require a $10 admission fee.

The announcement highlights the high cost of attending World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium, where officials noted that even round-trip public transit could cost $150.

"Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on earth without dipping into their savings," said Mamdani, a Democrat and self-described soccer devotee.

Similar fan events are being planned for other U.S. host cities.